At
Wrightslaw, our goals are to help you gain the information and skills
you need navigate the confusing world of special education.

Highlights:
Your role at your child's IEP meeting; progress in general curriculum;
how to use info from evaluations in the IEP; Wrightslaw books; Scratch
n' Dent Sale; child's IQ scores falling, school says he is "doing
fine"; how a parent lobbied for an appropriate program; Wrightslaw
programs in AL, FL, WA, CA; free pubs about IEPs; help from Yellow Pages
for Kids with Disabilities.

As
the parent of a child with special educational needs, you represent your
child's interests. When you negotiate with the school on your child's
behalf, you increase the odds that your child will get an appropriate
education.

You cannot leave this job to others!

If your goal
is to attend the IEP meeting, all you have to do is to show up. If your
goal is to participate effectively in developing your child's Individualized
Educational Program (IEP), there are things you need to know and be able
to do. The articles in this issue of The
Special Ed Advocate will help you prepare for your child's IEP meetings.

Your child's
IEP should be based on information from current evaluations (present
levels of educational performance) and your state's curriculum and standards.

The
IDEA states that children with disabilities will be involved in and make
progress in the general curriculum. (See Appendix
A to the IDEA Regulations)Get
a copy of your state's curriculum standards from your state
department of education website. (Your state may refer to this as
"academic standards" or "curriculum frameworks").
Print the academic standards for the grade your child will attend next
year. (This is the "general curriculum" that your child should
be involved in.)

Use these
curriculum standards and information from current evaluations
of your child to write appropriate and measurable IEP goals and objectives
for upcoming year.

Essential
Resource:Appendix
A to the IDEA Regulations discusses legal requirements for
IEPs, IEP meetings and teams, the parental role, transition, and other
issues. When you read Appendix
A, many of your questions about IEPs will be answered. Study
Appendix
A. Make margin notes. Use a highlighter.

The services
in your child's IEP should be based on your child's "Present Levels
of Educational Performance." Read
the most recent evaluations of your child. If you don't have copies of
these evaluations, ask the school to provide them before the IEP meeting.

What do these
current test scores reveal about your child's strengths, weaknesses, educational
needs, and progress? What remediation does your child need? Does your
child need accommodations? Modifications?

These articles
about evaluations will help you prepare for the next IEP meeting.

Tests
and Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate & Attorney.
"All important educational decisions, from eligibility to the intensity
of educational services provided, are based on psychological and educational
achievement test results. Changes in test scores allow parents and school
personnel to assess educational benefit or regression. Parents need to
learn what tests measure and what test results mean."

A
parent writes, "When my son entered Kindergarten, his skills were about
6 months behind his peers. By second grade, he was about 1.5 year behind,
by 4th grade he was 2.5 years behind. On the most recent evaluation, his
Full Scale IQ had dropped by 9 points! On his report cards, he gets average
grades and we are told that is "doing fine". Read My
Child's IQ Scores are Falling.

"My son Paul began special education in second grade. He is now in
fifth grade. When he entered special education, his reading level was 1.3.
After 30 months of special education, his reading level is 2.3. He was falling
further behind, not closing the gap."

Knowledge
is power. When you have information and skills, you will be a more effective
advocate for your child. Our role is to help you gain knowledge so you
can negotiate with the school on your child's behalf.

Please
join us for a Wrightslaw Training Program. If you are interested
in bringing Pete and Pam Wright to your community, please read our FAQs
about Seminars. (We are scheduling programs for 2005-2006.)

8.
Free Pubs! IEPs

These publications about IEPs
will teach you information and skills so you can step up to the plate
and actively participate in your child's IEP.

Designing
Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Plans The Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to prepare students
with disabilities for employment and independent living. Transition
planning that involves students and families leads to post-school success
and independence. This article describes how to design quality IEP transition
plans. Download -
To order bound copies, contact The Council for Exceptional Children,
1-800-328-0272

More
Free Pubs! One obstacle in advocating for a child with a disability
is finding the time to do research. We spend hours collecting information
so you can spend your time learning, not searching. When you visit our
Free
Pubs page, you will find high-quality free publications about IEPs,
special education, transition planning, reading, children's mental health,
harassment, high-stakes testing, retention and social promotion, zero
tolerance and discipline.

9.
Need
Help? Visit the Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities

If you are looking for help - or a helper
- visit the Yellow Pages
for Kids with Disabilities. Your state Yellow
Pages has many resources - evaluators, speech language therapists,
tutors, special ed schools, advocates, attorneys, organizations, and
support groups.

Free
Listings in the Yellow Pages: If you help parents get services
for children (i.e., an evaluator, educational consultant, academic tutor,
advocate, attorney, special ed school, etc.) or you facilitate a support
or study group for parents, submit an application be listed in the Yellow
Pages for Kids. Send an email to app@yellowpagesforkids.com
for an application. Listings in the Yellow Pages are free.

The
Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education
legal and advocacy issues, cases, and tactics and strategies. Subscribers
receive "alerts" about new cases, events, and special offers
on Wrightslaw books.